The present invention is directed to a cleaning solvent. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a readily applyable cleaning solvent and a dispenser, in pen form, for use in applying the solvent.
A wide variety of solvents are available for commercial, as well as non-commercial uses. Many of these known solvent cleaners are quite aggressive and thus cannot be used on many plastic or other polymeric materials. It has been found that these materials can tend to degrade the plastic thus resulting in structural failure of the plastic, aesthetic and like failures. Other types of cleaning solvents are ineffective and, as such, provide little to no efficacy.
It has also been found that many of the known solvents do not have a wide usage range period. That is, while one particular type of solvent may be quite useful to, for example, remove gum or labels (e.g., glue-removal), this same solvent may not be useful to, for example remove and industrial coatings. On the other hand, a solvent that is useful in removing industrial coatings may be too aggressive for use in glue removal.
It has also been found that many such cleaning solvents are not available in a readily usable container. That is, such solvents may be spray applied or brush applied or merely provided in a container, such as a metal can. Those who have used such solvents will recognize that spray applicators may not be useful in certain situations to, for example, remove small areas of glue. On the other hand, brush applicators may not be useful where a very specific or discrete location requires application of the solvent.
One known solvent is available in a pen-type dispenser. The solvent is formulated from d-limonene and is commercially available from Micro Care Corporation of Bristol, Conn. under the trademark Tidy Pen(copyright).
Accordingly, there exists a need for a cleaning solvent that can be used in a wide variety of applications from glue removal to coating removal. More desirably, such a solvent is provided in a readily usable dispenser.
A liquid cleaning solvent is formulated from a terpene hydrocarbon present in a concentration of about 50 percent to about 80 percent of the cleaning solvent and tetrahydrofuran compatible with the terpene hydrocarbon present in a concentration of about 20 percent to about 50 percent of the cleaning solvent.
A preferred terpene hydrocarbon is d-limonene. Preferably, the liquid cleaning solvent includes butylated hydroxy toluene present in a concentration of less than about 1 percent of the cleaning solvent. Most preferably, the butylated hydroxy toluene is present in a concentration of less than about 0.1 percent of the cleaning solvent
A preferred solvent is provided within a dispenser. A preferred dispenser is a pen dispenser.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims.